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Hogwarts Legacy
2023 video game From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Hogwarts Legacy is a 2023 action role-playing game developed by Avalanche Software and published by Warner Bros. Games under its Portkey Games label. It is part of the Wizarding World franchise, taking place a century before the Harry Potter novels. Players control a student enrolled at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry who attends classes, learns spells, and explores an open world version of Hogwarts and its surroundings. With the assistance of fellow students and professors, the protagonist embarks on a journey to uncover an ancient secret hidden within the wizarding world.
Following Warner Bros.' acquisition of Avalanche Software in 2017, Hogwarts Legacy became the studio’s first project unrelated to Disney Interactive Studios since 2005. Development began around 2018 with an estimated budget of $150 million. The storyline was designed to take place in a period untouched by established Wizarding World characters, offering players the opportunity to immerse themselves in their own distinct universe. Avalanche emphasised the importance of making the game world resemble the Harry Potter novels, while also expanding beyond known locations to enrich the experience.
Ahead of its release, Hogwarts Legacy was highly anticipated. The game attracted controversy over Harry Potter creator J. K. Rowling's views on transgender people and accusations of antisemitic tropes, leading to calls for a boycott. Following some delays, it was released on 10 February 2023 for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S, on 5 May 2023 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and on 14 November 2023 for Nintendo Switch. A Nintendo Switch 2 version was released on 5 June 2025. The early-access period of Hogwarts Legacy resulted in record-breaking viewership on streaming platform Twitch, making it the most-watched single-player game on the platform.
Hogwarts Legacy received praise for its combat, world design, characters, variety of content, and faithfulness to the source material, but criticism for its technical problems and lack of innovation as an open world game. In its first two weeks, the game sold over 12 million copies and generated $850 million in global sales revenue. It became one of the best-selling video games, selling 34 million copies and reaching $1 billion in total revenue. The game appeared on several publications' year-end lists and received various accolades, including nominations for two D.I.C.E. Awards, a Grammy Award for its soundtrack, and two BAFTA Games Awards. A sequel is in development.
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Gameplay
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Hogwarts Legacy is an action role-playing game played from a third-person perspective.[3][4] Players create their character by customizing features such as appearance, voice, and complexion. They also choose whether to be housed in a Witch or Wizard dormitory, as well as one of the four Hogwarts Houses (guided by the Sorting Hat).[5][6] Each Hogwarts House (Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin) features a unique common room accessible only to its members once the house is chosen.[6] Depending on the chosen house, players gain access to exclusive quests.[7] Attending and completing classes is essential to progression, as it unlocks gameplay mechanics, such as broom flight.[8] As the game advances, the player character learns to cast spells, brew potions, and master combat abilities, eventually developing a personalized combat style.[8][9][10] Experience points earned through combat, quests, and exploration allow players to level up and enhance their spells, talents, and abilities.[11] Players can engage with various non-player characters (NPCs), with some of them becoming companions. These companions provide dedicated quest lines focused on relationships and can join players on select missions.[12]
Next to experiences in Hogwarts Castle, players can explore related areas such as the magic village of Hogsmeade, the Forbidden Forest, and the Room of Requirement.[4] Hogsmeade offers a variety of shops and establishments, including the sweet shop Honeydukes and the Hog's Head tavern.[14] The Room of Requirement features environmental customisation elements; players can modify the room with various objects as they progress. It can be fully personalised, and its architecture can be changed. The room serves as a place to store and maintain utility items such as brewing stations and planting pots, which can also be customised. Some of the magical beasts can be held in a chosen "Vivarium", a separate place where players take care of them.[3][14] Players are able to tame, care for, and ride various magical beasts, including hippogriffs and thestrals. Other magical creatures available for interaction include unicorns, kneazles, and puffskeins.[15] Plants grown or acquired can be used in combat, such as mandrakes, which can stun enemies.[3][16]
Players can explore the map at their own pace. The different areas present various activities and enemies, with certain aspects locked behind progression milestones in the main plot. During exploration, players can acquire gear by locating treasure chests. The Revelio spell supports exploration by acting as a scanning tool to discover secrets.[18] To travel around the map, players can choose between various options. Players may use Floo Powder to fast travel, or can fly across the map with a broom after participating in flying class.[19][17] Progressing through the game causes the interior and exterior of the castle to change visually and match the seasons.[20]
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Synopsis
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Setting and characters
Hogwarts Legacy is set in the 1890s at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and its surrounding areas. The areas include Hogsmeade and the Scottish Highlands, influenced by the Wizarding World franchise.[21][22][3] Players take on the role of a student (voiced by Sebastian Croft or Amelia Gething) starting their studies at Hogwarts in the fifth year.[23][24] The protagonist possesses the power to control a mysterious ancient magic and holds the key to an "ancient secret" that threatens the stability of the wizarding world. Their mission is to discover the reasons behind the resurgence of this forgotten magic and those who are trying to harness its power.[25]
Players encounter various characters, with the most relevant being their professors and fellow students. Professor Eleazar Fig, a wizard who teaches magic theory at Hogwarts, is a central ally throughout the protagonist's adventure.[26][27] Other characters include Hogwarts students Amit Thakkar (Asif Ali) and Everett Clopton (Luke Youngblood), Professors Onai (Kandace Caine) and Shah (Sohm Kapila), as well as Headmaster Phineas Nigellus Black (Simon Pegg) and Professor Matilda Weasley (Lesley Nicol).[23] The protagonist also partners with the students Natsai Onai, Poppy Sweeting, Sebastian Sallow and Ominis Gaunt, who take part in their journey as companion characters.[12] Antagonists include Ranrok, the leader of a goblin rebellion, and Victor Rookwood, the leader of a group of Dark Wizards.[28]
Plot
The protagonist receives a letter from Professor Weasley, which confirms their attendance at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as a fifth-year student and assigns Professor Fig as the protagonist's mentor. Fig escorts the protagonist from London to Hogwarts via a flying coach. While investigating an unknown artefact, a dragon attacks them, prompting the two to reach for a Portkey hidden inside the artefact that teleports them to the Scottish Highlands. In the Highlands, they find a ruin with a portal to Gringotts. Using the Portkey to enter an old vault, the protagonist learns they can see traces of ancient magic. The duo is confronted by a hostile goblin named Ranrok before escaping to Hogwarts, where the protagonist is sorted into one of the four houses.
The protagonist learns various spells during classes and goes on a trip to Hogsmeade with a companion, where a troll sent by Ranrok attacks them and is defeated by them. The protagonist also sneaks into the library and finds a book with missing pages. While Professor Fig studies the book, the protagonist locates the missing pages and finds a secret room below Hogwarts known as the Map Chamber, where they later visit several times with Fig and talk to the portraits of four deceased Hogwarts professors who refer to themselves as the "Keepers", whose goal is to protect the secrets of ancient magic from the wizarding world.
To reveal the secrets of ancient magic, the protagonist completes four trials left by the Keepers. The trials feature complicated puzzles and dangerous tasks that require the skills the protagonist has acquired, each leading to a Pensieve, a magical device used to store and review memories. The protagonist learns from the memories that Isidora Morganach, a Hogwarts student who became a professor with abilities similar to the protagonist, was in conflict with the Keepers and left behind a hidden repository of ancient magic after using it to extract negative emotions, particularly from her suffering father. The Keepers realised that Isidora was inhaling the extracted emotions to increase her own power and failed to dissuade her, forcing one of them to eliminate her with the Killing Curse. Through their other adventures, the protagonist also learns that Ranrok, the leader of an ongoing goblin rebellion against wizards, seeks to find the repository and exploit it for his own ends. To locate it, he collaborates with a group of dark wizards led by Victor Rookwood, a descendant of one of the Keepers.
After the protagonist completes all trials, they receive one final task from the Keepers: to create a special type of magic wand from the artefacts found at the Pensieves. Professor Fig sends the protagonist to Gerbold Ollivander, the wandmaker, in order to craft the special wand. As the protagonist leaves Ollivander's, they are ambushed by Victor, who proposes an alliance against the goblins. The protagonist refuses, resulting in a battle in which the protagonist manages to defeat him. Shortly after, the protagonist and Professor Fig find the repository intact, and the protagonist makes their choice between keeping the magic sealed away or absorbing the power for themselves. Ranrok then locates Isidora's repository and absorbs the ancient power, transforming himself into a dragon. Fig is mortally wounded, and the protagonist battles the dragon, ending the goblin rebellion by destroying Ranrok and doing as they chose earlier. Regardless of their choice, Fig dies, and Headmaster Black and Professor Weasley hold a eulogy in honour of him.
The protagonist returns to finish regular school studies, as the end of the school year is leading to the O.W.L. exams. They also continue to explore the castle's surrounding areas and go through adventures with companions Sebastian Sallow, Poppy Sweeting, and Natsai Onai if they haven't completed them already. The journey ends with Professor Weasley awarding the protagonist 100 house points for the extraordinary adventure, which ultimately leads to a win of the House Cup for their respective house.
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Development
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Hogwarts Legacy was developed by Avalanche Software, which Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment acquired from Disney in January 2017.[29][30] That same year, Warner Bros. established the publishing label Portkey Games to manage the Wizarding World license.[31] Hogwarts Legacy was Avalanche's first project unrelated to Disney Interactive Studios and its products since 2005.[32] The open world game was developed by using Unreal Engine 4.[33][34] J. K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, was not directly involved in its development. However, Warner Bros. acknowledged that her literary works served as the basis for all projects in the Wizarding World.[35] The total budget was estimated at $150 million.[36]
Lead writer Moira Squier stated that the story was intentionally set in a time period without established Wizarding World characters, allowing players to explore their own unique world within a setting reminiscent of the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts eras.[38][39] The writing team focused on creating a diverse range of characters that players could relate to and see themselves in.[39] While main Harry Potter characters do not appear, some familiar figures like Nearly Headless Nick and Peeves the Poltergeist make appearances.[40] The team also introduced a trans-inclusive character creator and the franchise's first transgender character, Sirona Ryan.[41]
Boston Madsen, environmental lead for the creation of Hogwarts, emphasised the importance of creating environmental elements close to the source material from the Harry Potter books. Madsen noted that although it is Avalanche Software's version of Hogwarts, the castle remains easily recognisable. Game director Alan Tew added that they aimed to go beyond the expected areas, encouraging players to discover new locations and hidden chambers.[37] Tew and Madsen further explained that each of the four Hogwarts house common rooms was designed to offer a unique experience, enhanced by distinct music for each house. Their overall goal was to create a welcoming atmosphere that fosters a sense of nostalgia and belonging.[42]
Lead designer Troy Leavitt stated that the studio had the flexibility to select the elements that fans were most enthusiastic about. He added that Hogwarts Legacy was designed to give fans the "wizarding world experience" they always desired while reading the books or watching the movies, without promoting any particular agenda or message.[43] Game designer Troy Johnson explained that advances in modern technology and gaming consoles made it possible to create a competent game based on the Wizarding World. The open world was designed with two primary goals: to offer players overall freedom and to provide opportunities for crafting a highly personalised experience.[44] Artists Jeff Bunker and Vanessa Palmer noted that they focused on five technical pillars: 4K graphics and visuals, 3D audio, activities and game assistance, the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller, and fast loading times. They referenced the use of Unreal Engine, the computing and rendering power of the PlayStation 5, and the Niagara visual effects system to deliver the visual effects of spells and magic.[45]
Music
Chuck E. Myers, J. Scott Rakozy and Peter Murray composed the soundtrack, including additional tracks by Alexander Horowitz.[46][47][48] In a behind-the-scenes video, Murray and Rakozy commented on the creation of the Hogwarts Legacy soundtrack. They explained that the challenge of its creative process was to balance the original composition with the existing music of the Wizarding World films. One of the songs, Overture to the Unwritten, was released ahead of the soundtrack.[46][49] The song was performed by the Seven Springs Symphony Orchestra & Choir as a live capture of a 54-piece orchestra.[50]
In December 2022, the soundtrack's release was announced for February 2023.[46] It was released as two digital double albums totaling 75 tracks: Hogwarts Legacy (Original Video Game Soundtrack) and Hogwarts Legacy (Study Themes from the Original Video Game Soundtrack).[47][48] The soundtrack also saw a vinyl release, mastered by James Plotkin and distributed by Mondo.[51][52] On 25 June, the Hollywood Bowl hosted a concert in celebration of the ten-year anniversary of the Game Awards. The event featured a range of video game music from recent years, including Hogwarts Legacy, and was performed by the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. The concert was presented in partnership with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and conducted by composer Lorne Balfe.[53][54][55]
Release
Before any formal announcement regarding the development or release of Hogwarts Legacy, gameplay footage was leaked in 2018.[56] The Escapist reported that development started around 2017 or 2018.[57] The game was officially announced at a PlayStation 5 event in September 2020, with a planned release for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in 2021.[58] It was delayed twice: first to 2022, and later to 10 February 2023.[34][59] The PS4 and Xbox One versions were also delayed twice, from its February 2023 launch to 5 May 2023.[60][61] With the launch of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of Hogwarts Legacy, the developers added an arachnophobia mode that replaces the regular spider design. The new design features a more cartoonish look, removes the spiders' legs, and pays homage to the Harry Potter books with the addition of roller skates on their feet.[62][63] A Nintendo Switch port by Shiver Entertainment was released on 14 November 2023.[64][65] It was originally scheduled for 25 July 2023.[60] To accompany the release of PlayStation 5 Pro, Hogwarts Legacy was included in a series of enhanced games.[66] A Nintendo Switch 2 version was released on 5 June 2025, as a launch title for the console.[67] The game was released in three versions: Standard, Deluxe, and Collector's Edition. The Deluxe Edition includes extra content like a special mount, clothing set, and exclusive battle arena. The Collector's Edition includes the former's content along with a steel case, box, and a collectible "floating wand." Players owning the Standard Edition can upgrade to Deluxe by purchasing the extra content separately.[68] Early access began on 7 February 2023 for those who pre-ordered the physical Collector’s Edition or Digital Deluxe Edition.[69] A limited edition DualSense controller, the “Revelio Controller,” was also released in the U.S. and UK to coincide with the game’s launch.[70][71]
After the first gameplay trailer debuted in March 2022, Hogwarts Legacy drew criticism for setting its story during the Goblin Rebellion era of Wizarding World history, where the protagonist is assigned to suppressing a goblin uprising. The portrayal of goblins in the Wizarding World has previously been accused of being based on antisemitic tropes.[72] Critics argued that the game suggests that goblins, as a minority, are the villains for fighting against their oppressors and seeking equal rights and freedom.[73][74] In an article of The Times of Israel, some defended the portrayal in both the game and the wider Harry Potter universe. The non-governmental organisation Campaign Against Antisemitism argued that the depiction is consistent with how goblins have been portrayed in Western literature over the centuries and is not evidence of malice on the part of contemporary artists. The statement also commended Rowling for her tireless efforts in defending the Jewish community.[75] Travis Northup of IGN disagreed that the game contained antisemitic tropes. He pointed out that the story does not feature a group of goblins controlling banks or trying to seize power. Instead, it focuses on a single goblin who rebels against the Wizarding World’s refusal to grant his kind access to magic.[75]
Hogwarts Legacy became a subject of contention in response to Rowling's controversial views on transgender people.[76][43] Her critics called for a boycott to show solidarity with the transgender community[77] and to impede the financial benefits she would receive from its release.[78][79][80] Others felt that Hogwarts Legacy could be separated from the views of its universe's creator.[79][80] Writing for GameSpot, transgender YouTuber Jessie Earl stated that those on each side of the debate should come to their own conclusions and that, while it was not wrong to want to play Hogwarts Legacy, those who did should not claim to be supportive of the trans community.[81] In response to the controversy, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment's President, David Haddad, expressed that Rowling has the right to hold her personal views.[82] Shortly before the release of Hogwarts Legacy, a website was created with the purpose of targeting Twitch streamers who played the game. The site featured a tool that filtered accounts streaming the game. It was taken down shortly after the creator faced criticism.[77][83][84] Some streamers decided not to stream the game at all, with Polygon noting that it occurred either in favour of ongoing protests or for fear of harassment.[85] The game's viewership on live-streaming service Twitch peaked at a record-breaking 1.28 million concurrent viewers on 7 February.[86] The boycott was declared unsuccessful by several publications. Den of Geek stated that the issues with Rowling seemed to have minimal effect on the game's overall sales figures.[87] According to PC Games, the sales figures attested to the ineffectiveness of boycott efforts aimed at Hogwarts Legacy.[88] Michael Deacon of The Telegraph noted that it had the opposite effect and failed to garner the attention of non-activists;[89] and Fox News claimed the game had beaten cancel culture.[90]
Additional content
As part of the release, players received free cosmetic items by joining the Harry Potter Fan Club and linking the WB Games account.[91] PlayStation versions included exclusive content like the "Haunted Hogsmeade Shop" quest and the "Felix Felicis" potion recipe as a pre-order bonus. The quest features an additional dungeon, a cosmetic set, and an in-game shop, while the potion reveals gear chests on the map.[92] The Dark Arts Pack, available in Deluxe and Collector's editions or as downloadable content (DLC), includes an exclusive mount, clothing set, and a new battle arena.[68] From the early access release on 7 February 2023, to 24 February 2023, players could earn five exclusive cosmetic items via Twitch Drops.[93][94] Additionally, the launch of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions offered the "Professor Ronen cosmetic set," with seven extra items obtainable through Twitch Drops as well.[95]
Shortly after release, game director Alan Tew stated that the team focused only on the launch and did not yet plan to release additional content.[96] In May 2024, Avalanche Studios announced a major update for 6 June, which added player-requested features like a photo mode, talent point resets, and new cosmetic items. The update also released pre-order and console-exclusive content, including the "Haunted Hogsmeade Shop" quest.[97][98] In January 2025, mod support was added via the Hogwarts Legacy Creator Kit. The support is currently limited to PC.[99][100] In March 2025, Bloomberg's Jason Schreier reported that Warner Bros. cancelled an unannounced story expansion that had been planned for release later this year alongside a Definitive Edition containing all previously released content for the game. According to Schreier, the cancellation was in part because the company felt that the content was not substantial enough to justify the anticipated price.[101]
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Reception
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Critical response
Reception
According to review aggregator Metacritic, Hogwarts Legacy received "generally favourable" reviews.[102][103][104][105] As per OpenCritic, 88% of the 172 critic reviews recommend it.[106] In Japan, four critics from Famitsu gave the game a total score of 37 out of 40.[110]
The environments and visuals were lauded, with many critics praising the recreation of Hogwarts Castle. GamesRadar+ complimented the world as being faithful to existing Wizarding World lore,[113] while Destructoid appreciated the overall presentation and positive synergy with the universe.[108] Other reviewers echoed these points,[107][4][117][118] with NME writing that the world was probably the most fitting depiction for fans.[114] Further praise was directed at the castle's level of detail.[119][8][120] Push Square highlighted the level of atmosphere and visual presentation, finding it made aimless activities like walking around Hogwarts enjoyable.[115] The surrounding areas set in the Scottish Highlands received similar praise.[121][122]
The gameplay received mixed reactions. PC Gamer praised Legacy's straightforward yet cohesive systems, such as the wizard duels and the personalised Room of Requirement.[17] Eurogamer Germany said the attention to detail motivated players to explore the world. They highlighted the music and were impressed by the design of some of the quests and puzzles.[123] Destructoid complimented the range of activities and unlockables but found the game sometimes unimpressive, contributing to the experience of being wrapped in an unsatisfactory open world environment.[108] NME similarly wrote that the design felt dated, attributing this to its long development cycle.[114] The Guardian criticised the experience as competent yet not particularly impressive. While praising the presentation for its captivating nature, they felt that the progression was derivative of other open-world examples.[22] GameRevolution described Legacy as a fun but forgettable Harry Potter fan service, writing that features such as attending classes and creating potions lacked sufficient depth.[112]
The combat was generally praised. PCGamesN called it the strongest aspect,[14] and The A.V. Club deemed it the most interesting feature, expressing that confrontations with greater difficulty provided genuinely thrilling experiences.[124] GameSpot described the combat and spells as giving a notable feeling of control to players, though they criticised the spell-selecting controls and the unremarkable enemy design.[9] Game Informer similarly lamented the enemies for lacking variety.[111]
The narrative divided critics. Some praised the developer's handling of the narrative to tell an original story in a setting that felt overly familiar.[118][125] Windows Central deemed the story compelling,[8] while the writing of the more detailed sidequests was positively highlighted by Video Games Chronicle as some of the best of the series.[116] Hardcore Gamer praised the story as riveting, but felt it faltered towards the end.[119] PCMag in particular criticised the decision to have the protagonist act out a "Chosen One" role.[126] Other reviewers found the narrative to be lacklustre and, at times, illogical.[4][109]
The characters were mostly well received. Windows Central described them as interesting, noting that they added depth to the world.[8] CNET complimented them for being well-written and positively remarked on their ethnic diversity,[127] which was echoed by PCMag.[126] IGN praised the companions for their characterization and roles.[4] The cast performances received similar compliments;[127][111] PCMag wrote that their quality made conversations feel natural.[126] On the other hand, Video Games Chronicle considered certain NPCs beyond Hogwarts to be lifeless.[116] Hardcore Gamer wrote that the protagonist's rivals, Ranrok and Rookwood, failed as compelling antagonists and were inferior compared to other established Harry Potter villains.[119]
Reviewers were critical of Legacy's technical aspects. PC Gamer experienced brief but frequent pauses at doors, as well as frame rate drops during uneventful moments.[17] Eurogamer Germany noted shading issues and rigid facial expressions on character models,[123] and CNET thought that their eye movements occasionally felt unnatural.[127] Many noted that the performance was affected by technical problems, including slow loading of textures, frame rate inconsistencies, visual glitches, clipping objects, and inconsistent lighting.[4][8][126][128] GameStar reported performance problems overall while reviewing the PC version, especially in areas with many NPCs, but said the first patch alleviated some of these problems.[120]
As a result of the controversy surrounding Rowling, some publications chose not to cover or review Hogwarts Legacy,[77][79] and the internet forum ResetEra banned all discussion of it.[76][129]Wired gave it the lowest possible score, describing the story and gameplay as mediocre and harmful.[130][131][132] In response to the controversy, the studio added that the development focused on creating a "rich and diverse" world that would represent all groups of people.[41] According to PinkNews, transgender character Sirona Ryan's inclusion was dismissed by some activists as insincere, while unnamed sources involved in the development allegedly stated that the character added nothing substantial and was solely created to avert criticism.[133]
Sales
On 23 February 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery announced that Hogwarts Legacy had sold more than 12 million copies and generated $850 million in global revenue.[86][134][135] By 5 May 2023, global sales had risen to 15 million copies, surpassing $1 billion in total earnings.[136][137] The game reached 22 million units sold by the end of 2023, including approximately 2 million during the December holiday season.[138][139] In October 2024, sales climbed to 30 million.[140] By the end of March 2025, the total had reached 34 million, making it one of the best-selling video games.[141]
In the US, Hogwarts Legacy topped the monthly sales charts for February 2023.[142][143] In the UK, the game debuted and remained atop of the physical sales chart for five consecutive weeks, and fifteen weeks in total.[144] Analysts compared its first-week sales to those of Elden Ring, noting increases of 80% in physical sales and 88% in digital sales.[145][146] In Germany, it sold more than 600,000 copies in two and a half weeks.[147] Across Europe, the launch of Hogwarts Legacy ranked as the sixth-largest for a video game since the inception of the European Monthly Charts.[148] In Japan, Hogwarts Legacy debuted atop the software sales chart, with the PlayStation 5 version selling 67,196 physical copies.[149] It held the top spot for an additional week and had sold a total of 172,820 physical copies by 14 May 2023.[150][151] The PlayStation 4 version sold 44,947 physical copies by 4 June 2023.[152] As of 4 February 2023, the Nintendo Switch version reached 95,156 physical copies sold.[153] On Steam, Hogwarts Legacy peaked at over 489,000 concurrent players during early access. It marked the second-highest concurrent player count for a single-player game at the time, behind only Cyberpunk 2077, which reached over 1 million concurrent players.[154][155] The game later peaked at more than 879,000 concurrent players, making it the title with the eighth-highest concurrent player peak overall at the time.[156] As Steam separates pre-orders and official releases, Hogwarts Legacy occupied the top four spots on the platform’s sales chart at some point during its first week of release.[157][158]
Hogwarts Legacy was the best-selling game of 2023 in the United States, breaking a 14-year games industry streak of either a Call of Duty or a Rockstar Games release holding the top spot.[159][160] It ranked as the second best-selling game in Europe for 2023. Excluding EA's football titles, no other game had achieved comparable unit sales in a calendar year since the launch of the European charts in 2017.[161] The game topped the annual sales charts in the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, and reached the top three in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, and Sweden.[162] On Steam, it was among the platform’s best-performing titles of 2023.[163][164]
Accolades
Before its release, Hogwarts Legacy was nominated for "Most Anticipated Game" at the Game Awards 2022 and for "Most Wanted Game" at the Golden Joystick Awards 2022.[165][166] Several publications listed it as one of the most anticipated games of 2023, including CNET,[167] CNN,[168] Den of Geek,[169] GameSpot,[170] IGN,[171] PC Games,[172] NPR,[173] Polygon,[174] Time,[175] VentureBeat,[176] and VG247.[177] As a result of its record-breaking viewership on Twitch during early access, Hogwarts Legacy became the most-watched single-player game by peak viewers on the platform and earned a Guinness World Record.[86][178][179]
At the 20th British Academy Games Awards, Hogwarts Legacy was longlisted in nine categories,[180][181] and was ultimately nominated for the British Academy Games Award for Animation and British Academy Games Award for Family.[182][183] It received nominations for "Game of the Year" and "Best Game on Steam Deck" at The Steam Awards, winning the latter.[184] At France's 2024 Pégases Awards, Legacy was nominated for "Best Foreign Video Game".[185][186] At Poland's 2024 Digital Dragons Awards, it was similarly nominated for "Best Foreign Game".[187] Eurogamer Germany awarded Hogwarts Legacy as "Best Fanservice" in its 2023 awards.[188][189] At the PS Blog Game of the Year Awards 2023, the game was nominated in seven categories.[190] It won "PS4 Game of the Year" and placed as runner-up in the categories "Best Use of DualSense" (Gold Trophy) and "Best Audio Design" (Silver Trophy).[191] The Escapist named it one of five best action-adventure games of 2023.[192] Hardcore Gamer nominated Hogwarts Legacy for "Best Action Game",[193] while IGN named it a runner-up for "Best Open-World Game".[194] It appeared on several year-end lists of 2023, including GamingBolt (9th),[195] British GQ (21st),[196] BAFTA Games,[197] Gamepressure,[198] Der Spiegel,[199] BBC[200] and The Telegraph.[201]
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Impact and sequel
In the month of its release, Hogwarts Legacy became the most successful game in the Wizarding World franchise. The franchise also experienced a boost in engagement, with a 300% increase in traffic on Wizarding World websites.[210] The game's popularity has notably influenced Warner Bros. Discovery's strategy for the wider franchise.[211] In August 2024, Warner Bros. stated it would plan to develop further Wizarding World games, such as Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions.[212]
In September 2024, Warner Bros. Discovery's Gunnar Wiedenfels stated that a sequel to Hogwarts Legacy would be one of the corporation's primary goals.[213] The sequel is planned to be connected with the upcoming Harry Potter reboot television series.[140]
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See also
- Best-selling video games in the United States by year
- Harry Potter video games – Licensed video games based on the Harry Potter novels
- List of best-selling video games
- List of highest-grossing media franchises
Notes
- Published under the Portkey Games label
- Based on 22 reviews[102]
- Based on 102 reviews[103]
- Based on 22 reviews[104]
- Based on 14 reviews[105]
References
External links
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